Twilight Crossing 3: The Legend of the Beast
by Skyler Maepa
Summary: When the Triforce reappears on Tyler's hand, he sets off for Hyrule and the Twilight Realm to investigate. What he finds are friends, enemies, and an adventure that he never expected. And all the while, his relationship with Midna hangs in the balance. The conclusion to the Twilight Crossing trilogy!
1. Prologue: Reminiscent Snow

Author's Note: I've actually had this idea for a third story in my head since the original, but few details were fleshed out then. Good reviews have sparked me to continue on, and I am posting this in hope that feedback from you guys will prompt me to make regular updates. This is meant to conclude the Twilight Crossing trilogy, and I hope it turns out as good as the others. No promises on quality or updates though. I don't own any of the Zelda characters or games, Nintendo does. The characters and story I add are my own. Please read and review. In the words of Freddie Mercury: "The show must go on."

**Twilight Crossing 3: Legend of the Beast**

**Prologue: Reminiscent Snow**

The snow was already laid thick on the ground, but more continued to fall. It had been snowing for over two days straight and it was my first official snow day. This was both good and bad. On the one hand, I could just stay in my dorm room, watch the snow, and relax. But on the other hand, it gave me a lot of time with my thoughts, which meant I would be thinking of her again. She often came into my thoughts, as well as the rest of what happened almost a year ago. I've forgotten so many days between then and now, but I've never forgotten the events of those few days. After I finished my two years of community college I transferred to a university up in the mountains. It was now February and I had been there since the summer before. Getting away from home and learning in the beautiful, peaceful high altitude seemed good for me.

My family, of course, had no small amount of concern about me going away again after all that happened, but I wanted to get away from home. The memories were too strong. Not to mention that they, my mom and sister especially, were still recovering from the events that came from the invasion, but I knew they would be alright.

The wind stirred up the flakes as I found myself turning on my laptop to review the entries I had made after the twilight had been beaten back. I frequently turned my head to look out the window, the snow a welcome distraction from the memories that came as I scrolled through the entries I had made. A sigh escaped my lips as my eyes keep encountering the same name over and over again: Midna.

We had parted yet again, but this time there was no doubt as to the reality of what happened. It had all been real, so real. Perhaps too real. The emotions that came with being a hero were not something I had been ready to deal with, but I had to in order to defeat Zant again. The trials that came from danger were nothing compared to the lonely ache that I felt for the Twilight Princess. Excuse me, Twilight Queen. She had been with me every step of the way, believing in me when I didn't. Her playful nature, her sarcastic lines, her giggle…

I found myself looking outside again as I let my thoughts drift to her for a little. How was the Twilight Realm doing? Was everything peaceful? Was she thinking of me? Probably. But reality is a heartless and cruel mistress, her pragmatism always ruining dreams. Yes, we enjoyed our time together, but it all felt bittersweet now.

I shook my head to banish the images from my mind. They made the pain of our parting all the more real. I had been so optimistic at first, thinking that any day I could be called back to Hyrule. But now more time had passed than had after the first adventure, and I could feel myself starting to lose hope. I still had the Master Sword, though it remained at home with my family, and there was my connection to Hyrule. As long as I had it, I'd knew I'd go back, if only long enough to return it.

Another thought came to my mind as I let the swirling flakes hypnotize me. If there was a way, would I take it? Would I risk danger, unbalancing worlds, and traversing dimensions to see her again? My heart said yes, but my logical mind wasn't sure. My mind was always a bit too practical. Still, there were no questions about how we felt about each other now... Well, mostly. She hadn't said exactly... I wondered if perhaps fate would be kind and grant us one last meeting to give her the chance to say those three words.

I guess I hadn't learned my lesson. I may have said it before in regards to the first time I met Midna. I guess it's why old proverbs still hold credence. Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.


	2. Chapter 1: The Mark

Author's Note: I don't own any of the Zelda characters or games, Nintendo does. The characters and story I add are my own. Please read and review.

**TC 3: Legend of the Beast**

**Chapter 1: The Mark**

The next day, the snow was still thick on the ground, but students were dutifully marching to their classes. I loved it though. Snow has always been beautiful to me, so quiet and peaceful. I loved cold weather for the grey clouds and more peaceful atmosphere, but I have never liked being physically cold. As such, I was wrapped up in a thick jacket, wool hat, gloves, and hiking boots since I didn't have snow boots.

I was on my way to archery class. If I was to go back to Hyrule in my own body, I wanted to be able to do something competently. Exercise just wasn't giving me the upper body strength that I was hoping for, and I didn't have enough time to do the major training that was needed to buff up. My archery skills needed more work anyway, and I even had a bit of a leg up with my experience, though my technique needed work at first. I also got to use a nice compound bow that wouldn't strain me to hold back as I kept it steady.

It was a day like any other, and while there is comfort in routine, I still found myself wanting to be somewhere else at times. I was surrounded by a beautiful landscape, but something was still missing. I shook my head. There I went again. Try to be happy in the now. It was what kept me going while I waited to return to Hyrule.

I got to class, stripped off my warm outer clothes, leaving me in a thinner short sleeve shirt. I wished we could do this inside. I got my bow ready, and stepped onto the range. At least it wasn't snowing or blowing today, so the weather wouldn't mess up my shots. I strapped on my archery gloves and listened to the teacher talk for a bit before letting us get at it. I found archery a great way to calm my mind and focus on a singular objective. I drew back the first shaft with my right hand, inhaling as I did so. I exhaled slowly and let it loose. It struck the target, just a little to the left of the bull's-eye. My left hand was still slightly unsteady, but it was getting better all the time. I shot a few more arrows, letting the cold air clean my lungs every time I drew the string back. A smile crept onto my face as I thought of how deadly I could be now.

I drew back my fifth arrow when I felt something at my left hand. I lowered my bow slightly to look at the back of it. I let the string go by mistake, sending the arrow into the dirt.

"Something wrong Mister Peak?" the teacher asked, having seen my blunder. I always had trouble remembering his name.

"Nothing," I lied quickly. "String slipped."

"Keep your grip tight and be more careful. Accidents will put you out of this class faster than you can blink."

I nodded as the teacher turned to correct another student. I then looked at my hand again. There, through the hole in the back of my archery glove, I could see the Triforce on my hand. I could feel the excitement welling up within me. It was time! I knew it! The Triforce appeared when a hero was needed, and it looked like I was needed now.

But where was I needed? The thought cooled my enthusiasm. Was something coming to our world again? Or was it Hyrule that was in trouble? Was it the Twilight Realm? Was it her? I needed more information.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get it now. I had to play it cool. I took a breath and let it out, getting back to shooting. It was hard to concentrate though, and my shots wandered on the target.

"Having an off day Mister Peak?" the teacher asked, having wandered to my end of the range again. Our class was small, so he tended to get more involved with teaching us.

"I guess the cold has me shaking a little," I lied, though at least the goosebumps on my skin added to the plausibility of the lie.

The teacher nodded. "Well, you can go get warm after you get your arrows. One of these days we'll get a cover for the whole range."

"That would be nice," I said with a smile.

With the entire class done shooting, we retrieved our arrows and got to go inside to warm up for a moment before doing it all over again. I was able to focus a little better this time, but the thought of returning to Hyrule kept buzzing around in my head. This time... Yes, this time... Plans were already starting to form by the time class ended. I packed up my things and got into my warm clothes again, but this time I took my bow with me. I had bought it with student loan money anyway, and leaving the field with it wasn't uncommon for students who wanted to show it off. I would need it where I was going.

When I got back to my dorm room, I went straight to my laptop and started looking for the latest news. I look over everything in the state, the country, and the world. Nothing. No monsters, magic, or twilight. That meant that the threat was elsewhere. Or hiding. I drummed my fingers on the keyboard. If there was trouble, then I needed to act now.

I sent an email off to my family, saying that I wanted to talk that night. I then headed off for lunch, my brain still buzzing with implications. I also kept looking at my hand often, both to confirm that the mark was still there and to wonder why it was there. Needless to say, I was rather distracted for the remainder of my classes. At least I only had two more that day. As I trudged my way back to the dorm after eating dinner, I found myself wondering if the Twilight Realm got snow. There was a lot about that place that I didn't know. Would I have to go there again? I kind of hoped that I would, thought I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to since the gold sky of the Twilight still unnerved me, or so memory said.

When I got back to my room, my roommate was calling out orders and such while playing a MMO. I sighed. I didn't like the idea of him being in the room while I talked with my family, but hopefully he wouldn't hear. I went to my laptop and sat down, settling in to wait until my family got on. I checked the news again before ending up killing time for about an hour or so before they came on. I put my headphones on and tried to smile. "Hey," I said as the call began.

"Hi," my mom said, trying to be cheerful.

"Hey," my dad added, looking concerned as he sat in a chair. "So what's this about the mark on your hand?"

I lifted my hand so that it was visible to the webcam. "It's back. It showed up during archery class."

"So, what does it mean?" Dad came back with.

"I'm not entirely sure," I admitted. My roomie exclaimed something and I glanced over. Apparently his raid had gone badly. I refocused on my screen. "But in the past it appeared when there was trouble."

"And you think there's trouble again," my mom concluded.

I nodded. "Yeah. I looked around in the news and I didn't find anything, so it's not our world. At least I don't think so."

As I stopped to gather courage, my dad completed the conclusion. "So, you think it's in Hi-rule or wherever it is?"

I nodded again. "Yes. I think it's either Hyrule or the Twilight Realm. I need to go there. Tomorrow if I can."

My mom's face fell, and my dad looked conflicted. "But you can't just leave in the middle of a semester," Mom said. "What about your classes?"

I shook my head. "They don't matter right now. Right now something bad is happening and I'm supposed to do something about it."

Mom's voice took on a more worried tone. "But why you? Why can't it be someone else?"

"Because I'm the one with the mark on my hand," I replied simply. "And so far, I've been the turning point to two conflicts. I have a responsibility to this mark. I can't ignore that."

"So there's nothing we can do to get you to change your mind?" my dad asked.

I shook my head. "No. I need to do this. I'd like your help, but if not, I'll just do it on my own."

Dad sighed. "I can't say that I'm happy about this. I was hoping that everything would be normal from now on. I guess I was wrong." He took a moment to take a breath as my mom looked at him.

"Really? You're thinking of letting him go?" she asked, now really worried.

"It's not a matter of letting him go," he replied. "He's grown up now and he's making his own choices. If he wants to run off and fight again, then he can. I don't like it either, but apparently our son has bigger responsibilities than we thought."

Mom cast her eyes to me, sad, but accepting. "You sure there's nothing I can say or do to make you stay?"

I shook my head again. "I'm sorry Mom. I know you and Dad are going to worry, but I have to do this."

After a moment of silence, my dad said, "So, what are you going to do?"

Even if they weren't happy about it, I at least had them convinced not to interfere. "I'm going to pack up a couple clothes and get on a bus home tomorrow. You guys will have to come up here to pick up the rest of my things later. I'll pack a few more things: the sword, some food, my bow, maybe a sleeping bag. Then I'm going to see about getting into Hyrule again."

My dad nodded. "So we'll see you home sometime tomorrow?"

"If all goes well," I confirmed.

"Okay. I'll guess we'll see you then."

"We love you Tyler," my mom said, sensing the conversation was coming to a close.

"Love you too," I replied. I then ended the video call before things could get awkward.

I leaned back in my chair with a sigh. The hard part was over. Now I just had to do it. I knew that what I was thinking of was stupid, or at least crazy. I was leaving just a few weeks into a semester, leaving behind the world I knew and a debt of student loans to chase something uncertain. There was one thing I was certain about, and that was that I was needed. I looked at my hand once more. I smiled. Wasn't what I was doing another form of courage? If I was willing to leave my world behind to go to another, putting my life on hold in the process, then it seemed I was more worthy of the Triforce than I had thought in the past.


	3. Chapter 2: Visiting a Hero

Author's Note: I don't own any of the Zelda characters or games, Nintendo does. The characters and story I add are my own. Please read and review.

**TC 3: Legend of the Beast**

**Chapter 2: Visiting a Hero**

The next day, I packed a couple sets of clothes into my backpack, put my bow in its case, and headed for the bus station. Even though I enjoy school and learning, right now it held no appeal for me. Luckily for me, I didn't have to wait long for a bus to get on, but I then had to settle in for three hours to get back to the valley, followed by a transfer and another thirty minutes to get back home. I found myself missing being able to just warp around with Midna.

Arriving home brought up mixed emotions to say the least. I was surprised to see that Dad was there. "What are you doing here?"

I expected them both to try to talk me out of going, but instead Dad said, "Took a sick day. I want to help you to get packed."

It was then that I noticed that Dad was leaning on his old scouting back, which had my sleeping bag and the two-man tent bag attached to it already. He must have dug them out of the mess of our garage.

Mom looked like she was ready to cry, but still tried to be focused on the matter at hand. "I bought jerky, trail mix, granola bars, and a few other things that you can eat without cooking. It's already in there."

I was taken aback by the switch to such generosity. "Really? Wow..."

"Well there's no stopping you, so we decided to help," Dad explained. "Even packed a couple camping things like a cup and utensils."

Mom looked to the side. "I don't like the idea of you going, but if you really want to go, then go. Be the hero again."

I stepped forward and embraced my mother. "Thanks Mom. I know this isn't easy for you." Mom hugged back tightly. I let her have the hug for a while before gently pulling away. I don't she would have let go otherwise. "I'll come back mom. I'll always come back."

She smiled a little. "Thanks."

I then turned to my dad. "Thanks for packing the bag, but I need to add a couple things."

He pointed at my backpack. "Those?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Some spare clothes. And I need to add a couple more things from my room too."

"You get those and I'll work these in."

I went upstairs and into my closet. In it were the things that I had left over from the last adventure. A small quiver of arrows, a bottle of Great Fairy Tears, the Goron Mask, the Zora Mask, and the Master Sword. It felt odd to take them up again, but who knew which of them would come in handy? They probably all would. I gathered them up and headed back downstairs.

"How are you going to fit all that in?" my mom asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. But we'll figure something out."

It took some packing and unpacking and repacking to fit everything in, especially trying while keeping it accessible for me to get at. The Master Sword of course would go across my back between me and the pack. The biggest challenge was my bow. I found myself wishing for a bag like Link's that just held everything. We finally settled on putting the bow over one shoulder. I tried the pack on and found it quite heavy, but it was bearable.

"Sheesh. They never go over this stuff in the books I read," I said out loud as I took the pack off my shoulders for a minute.

"That's why people got horses to carry their stuff," Dad said with a bit of a chuckle.

That made me wonder how much Epona carried, though upon further thought I had never seen her wearing saddlebags. In any case, I'd just have to deal with what I had.

"Are you going to stay the night and get a fresh start tomorrow?" my mom asked.

I could tell that it was just a way for her to get me to stay longer. I shook my head. "No. I'd better get going as soon as possible. I can rest tonight in Hyrule."

"How are you going to get there?" Dad asked.

I thought for a moment. "Well... the Spirit Springs are the only way there I think, so I'm going to try that first."

"I thought that didn't work when you tried to go back last time," Dad pointed out.

I had the same thought. Then I looked at my left hand again. "Oh!" I exclaimed in realization. "The Triforce mark wasn't on my hand after I came back. Since it's here now, I should be able to go back."

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" my mom asked.

I strapped on the Master Sword; there was no sense waiting around here any longer. "I don't know. The last adventure was only a few days. The first time took weeks, but that was because I was balancing this life with the game. It depends on what kind of trouble it is and where it is and how bad it is."

"So when should we start worrying?" my dad asked, getting to the point.

I took a minute to think before saying, "Three weeks. If it's going to take longer than that, then I'll try to get word back to you."

I grunted as I tried to get the pack on, but Dad stopped me. "How about we drive you there?"

I was glad for the ride, which I hadn't thought of before. On the ride over, I found myself reflecting. I had never had time to prepare for an adventure before. Had time to prepare and go to embrace it. I had also never not known what I was going to face. This was the first time that I was going into a situation blind. I'll admit that the thought unsettled me a little, but I pushed it aside. I tried to embrace the excitement. The idea that I was going back to Hyrule again. I would probably even see old friends again.

It only took a few minutes to get to the lake that the Spirit had appeared at before. I got out, strapped on the sword, pack, and slung my bow over my right shoulder. My parents got out and I turned to give them both one last hug. "Whatever it is, I'll take care of it. Then I'll come back."

"Love you Tyler," Mom said, leaning against my dad for emotional support.

"Love you Mom. Dad." Dad nodded, and I turned and headed for the lake. I stopped at the edge and took a breath before speaking out. "Ordona! I'm needed in Hyrule, aren't I? I've come to return!"

For a long moment nothing happened. It lasted long enough for me to question if this had been the right idea before a ball of light emerged from the water. I couldn't help but smile as the light expanded into the goat form of Ordona, one of the guardian spirits of Hyrule. "Greetings chosen one of the Goddesses. Your appearance is most unexpected. How may I aid you?"

My brow furrowed. "Unexpected? You mean nothing is happening in Hyrule?"

"No," the guardian replied. "All is at peace."

I held up my hand, showing her the mark of the Triforce. "This mark on my hand has only appeared when I'm needed. It has done so twice in the past. Why would it appear if I wasn't needed?"

There was a moment of silence before Ordona replied. "Perhaps it is not Hyrule that needs you. Perhaps it is another."

"The Twilight Realm?" I asked.

"Perhaps. And perhaps it is another."

That just left me confused, and it must have shown on my face.

"Worry not Chosen One," Ordona said kindly. "It is safe to say that whatever trial awaits you, it is in the Twilight Realm. Though you may need the aid of another to open the way."

"Oh right... It takes a strong magic user to push through the weak spot..." I said to myself.

"Yes. But perhaps Princess Zelda can help."

"Oh yeah! She pushed through with Link." Which reminded me that I wasn't sure how exactly they had followed us when we fought Zant the second time. Maybe I could ask this time.

"Indeed. Now, step forward hero, and I shall take you to Hyrule."

I turned to see my parents watching, a bit awed by the spirit of light floating above the water's surface. They noticed me looking and waved. I waved back and then turned to face my destiny. I stepped forward, my feet landing in the water as I closed my eyes.

The sound of traffic died away, replaced by a breeze blowing through trees. I opened my eyes to see Ordon's spring, just outside of Link's home village. It looked different though, with many trees missing their leaves. It seemed to be winter here too.

"Welcome back," Ordona said behind me. I turned to face her as she continued speaking. "Before you go to the princess, seek a nearby kindred spirit for help. May the Goddesses bless you on your journey." She then vanished.

It was strange to be back in Hyrule again, especially when everything looked so different. I stepped out of the shallow water and started for Link's house. It was probably likely that he was there, as the winter weather must make travelling hard. I hadn't gotten to talk with him much before and I had to admit that I didn't know what to say. As I came to the clearing in front of his house, a thin layer of snow crunched lightly under my feet. It was a good thing I was still dressed for winter weather. Climbing up the short ladder to his house was hard, the pack on my back pulling me backwards. I reached for the top, my grip slipped, and I found myself teetering backwards. Then a hand grabbed mine.

"I got you," Link said. We both grunted as he pulled me up. "Now here's a face I thought I'd never see again. Hello Tyler."

I smiled and nodded. "Hello Link."

"Come in out of the cold." He led me into his house, which hadn't changed from my last visit those months ago, except for the fire he had going. He took off the thick cloak he was wearing. "I was just about to go see if I could help with milking the goats, but it seems that something more important is happening."

"Well that's hard to say," I replied. It was still so odd to hear Link speak. I was having a hard time getting used to it.

"Well you look like you're ready for a fight," he said with a nod in my direction as he went to pull out a chair from the table.

"Ah, these," I said as I pulled off the bow. "You never know. It's good to be prepared."

"True. But I've never seen a bow like that before."

I grunted as I heaved off my pack. "It's a compound bow. When it's fully drawn, the stress is put on the wheels, so I don't have to spend my strength keeping it drawn."

"Interesting. I bet the gorons would love to have a look at it."

"Are they the ones that made your crossbow?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh that? Yes actually. They worked together with a weapon smith and made it almost a year ago. They asked me to test it out. I was still using it when a zora showed up at Castle Town saying that the knight in green had returned and was headed for the Twilight Realm."

I had unbuckled the Master Sword and set it to lean against the table before I sat down. "That must of caused some confusion since they think that you're the knight in green."

Link nodded. "Few people know the truth. Or used to, I should say. Rumors started going around after you came through last time. Some believe that we're one and the same. Others believe that we're separate. Some just accept it as a mystery of a hero."

I chuckled. "Well it's better than what I was getting at home. People giving me weird looks, whispering about am I a criminal or not-"

"Criminal?" Like asked, slightly alarmed.

"In my world, it's illegal to take the law into your own hands, especially when it's something big like an invasion," I explained. "I had to do some community service for being vigilante."

Link's face scrunched up in thought before he sighed. "If your world punishes heroes, then it is truly backwards."

"Oh you can be a hero. You just have to do it in the right manner with the right authority."

Link shook his head. "I don't think I'd understand your world."

I shrugged. "There are times that I don't understand it either."

"So what are you doing here this time?" Link asked, gesturing to my weapons.

I held up my hand. "I'm needed. But I don't think it's here in Hyrule. I think I'm needed in the Twilight Realm."

"There?" His face turned thoughtful. "Well, there has been no communication between our worlds, so it's possible that they need you."

I nodded. "I don't plan to take the Master Sword with me, though."

Link looked confused. "Why not? It's your weapon."

I shook my head. "No it isn't. I'm just borrowing it. I know there will be other heroes that will have need of it in the future. It's best that I put it back in the forest where it belongs."

Link thought for a moment before nodding. "I suppose. You can leave it here and I'll return it so that you can go on without wasting time."

I frowned a little. "I don't know. The Master Sword can only be drawn by the chosen one of the goddesses if I remember right."

"Well, let me try."

Link stood, and I held the sword out to him. He gripped the hilt in his right hand, to my surprise, and pulled. For a moment, it didn't budge. Then with a soft click of metal on metal, it slid free.

"Huh," I said with a note of interest. "What do you know."

"We may have more in common than you think," Link said with a smile before sheathing it. "But I'm not sure how I feel about you going into a battle with just a bow. And one that's exposed to the elements at that."

"I've got nowhere else to put it. It won't fit in my pack," I defended.

"I can help with that." He put the Master Sword down on the table. "Come with me."

I stood and followed Link as he went down into his basement. He lit a lantern and I saw that he still had the things from my first adventure, minus the ones I had 'borrowed' on my last visit. The only difference was that the Zora Armor was on its stand.

As if reading my thoughts, Link said, "You were very considerate in helping yourself when you came last."

I smiled sheepishly. "Well, I didn't have a whole lot to use then either, but I didn't want to take too much."

"Well, most of it is yours anyway. I can certainly let you have some of it. Let's start with a bigger quiver." He got the medium quiver down off a shelf. "You'll forgive me for not giving you the biggest quiver, but I find myself using the crossbow often and I go through arrows fast."

"It's okay. I don't know if I'll use a lot of arrows anyway."

"I see." He looked over the shelves again. "And bombs are always useful. Are you planning on going swimming again?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Then you can have the underwater bombs. I can always get more if I need to." He pulled a bag down that had a handwritten tag on one of the strings. "Let's see..." He then went to a corner and got a satchel, then slipped the bomb bag in and tied the quiver on the outside. "Oh, a clawshot. I don't use both at the same time much anymore." He added that to the bag as well. "Some money, and I think you'll be fine."

"But Link-"

"No arguments," he said with a smile. "I have more money than I know what to do with. You have none. Well, at least none of Hyrule. And even if you're going to the Twilight Realm, it should be worth something." He went to the chest I hadn't touched last time and opened it, dazzling me with an array of colorful gems.

I was taken aback by Link's generosity. "Wow. Thanks."

"Like I said, I feel like these things are yours as much as they are mine." He chuckled, then put a the large wallet in the satchel, which shouldn't have held everything he had added.

"Wait. How did...?"

Link held it up. "Magic bag. It holds as much as you need. I had one passed down to me through my family. Basically all I had to remember my parents by, besides this house. I got another one recently from the princess, so you can have it. It will make traveling much easier."

I nodded, then felt sad for a moment. "Sorry about your parents. What happened to them?"

Link's cheer faded a little. "They died from illness when I was young. Rusl and the rest of the village raised me. When I was twelve, I moved in here and took over what remained of my parents' things." He then smiled again. "But I was never lonely. I had the whole village as my friend." I smiled and nodded as he went to the ladder out of the basement. "Don't think about taking any of the bottles. You already have two and they're too useful to let go."

I really only had one, but it wasn't worth correcting him over. I chuckled and turned to go, only taking two steps before a voice stopped me.

"Wait."

I stopped where I was, looking around. Had I imagined hearing it? I moved to leave again.

"Please, don't go."

There was no imagining it this time. It had been a feminine voice, a bit high and airy. I turned around, looking around the basement. "Who's there?"

"It is I. The fairy of winds."

A rattling drew my attention to the shelf where the Gale Boomerang lay. I walked over and looked at it. "You're still in there?"

The voice came again, this time without the rattling. "Yes. I am the source of the wind powers of the boomerang. I have slept since I was found in the temple, but I can still feel that my powers have not been used in some time. Please, take me with you."

I bit my lip as I thought for a moment. "Well, I don't see why not."

"Good." The boomerang flipped off the shelf and I reached out to catch it. "It will be good to be moving again."

I came up the ladder from the basement to see Link looking through my pack. "You have some interesting food here; the only thing I recognize is jerky. I assume it travels well?"

"Yes." Apparently he hadn't heard the conversation downstairs, and the fairy was now quiet.

"Oh, you want to take the boomerang with you?" Link said when he noticed it in my hand. "Go ahead. I don't use it much anymore."

The boomerang vibrated in my hand, but didn't say anything. "Thanks," I said somewhat lamely.

"Here, put it in the bag. If you keep your weapons in here, then you'll be able to get them out faster than if you keep them in your travel pack. I put your masks and that bottle of tears in here already."

I went over and put the boomerang in, feeling a little reluctant to do so. "So, how do you get things out?"

"Just think of what you want, and it will be the first thing to touch your hand," Link replied as he closed it. "If you don't know what you're looking for, you'll end up feeling your way through everything."

I pulled the small quiver out of my pack and set it aside since I didn't need it anymore, then Link and I figured out how to fit my bow into the medium quiver so that it stayed safe and dry. "There you go. Now you'll be carrying a bit less."

"Thanks a lot Link," I said as I put the satchel on to try it out. It felt like it had things in it, but it didn't weigh anything. "Wow, that's cool."

"Cool?" Link asked in confusion.

"Never mind." I then looked a little more serious. "You've helped a lot already, but I need to ask one more favor."

"What is it?" Link asked.

"I need to speak with Princess Zelda."

The Hylian's brow furrowed. "Are things in the Twilight Realm that bad?"

"I don't know," I replied. "But Zelda is probably the only one that can get me there." It was then that I had another question. "How did you two get there?"

"Zelda used her magic to create a shield of air around herself and followed me into the lake temple as I swam in the Zora armor," Link explained. "Then she used her magic to let us through. You want her to do that again?"

I nodded. "Yes, but she doesn't have to come with me." I paused, feeling anxious again. "Can we leave soon? If something's wrong, I don't want to waste time."

Link sighed and looked out the window. "It's a bad time to be traveling. Though it snowed a couple days ago, so it probably won't snow again for a while."

"Well that's good."

"Yes, but it's well into the afternoon, and it takes more than half a winter's day to get to Castle Town. And we don't want to be out in the cold at night."

"So you're saying we should wait for tomorrow."

Link nodded. "Yes. I understand that you want to make sure everything is okay, but we shouldn't be reckless."

I sighed and nodded too. "Yeah."

Link put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry Tyler. It will be okay. While we wait for tomorrow, you can tell me what's happened since we last met."

So we passed the afternoon by talking about what had happened over the last nine months or so. I told him about continuing my education, which Link found interesting, mostly in the way that our society valued education so highly. He told me what he had been doing as well. After testing the crossbow, he was allowed to keep it, and was using it more than a sword these days. He ran errands for the Princess, went exploring every now and again, and helped Ordon Village when he came home.

"Not as exciting as your adventures of course, but I'm happy," Link said. "You must be glad to be on an adventure again."

I nodded. "Yes. It's good to be traveling again."

"Are you going to return home to your education when you're done?"

I opened my mouth to answer 'yes', but something stopped me. "Maybe..."

"You're not sure?" Link asked, raising an eyebrow.

I rested my chin on my hands. "No. Now that I stop and think about it, I'm not sure what I want."

"I see." After a moment, Link said, "I don't have much advice for you except to say that all adventures must end eventually and to follow your heart."

I nodded, but the advice didn't feel very helpful. I hadn't believed in following my heart since I was a kid.

Link stood and stretched. "Well, it's time for supper, then bed since we want to leave soon after the sun rises."

We ended up having a meal of bread and stew. The stew was thick with meat and vegetables and warmed me from the inside out. It may have been fairly simple, but it was certainly effective at warding off winter's chill.

Link offered to let me use his bed for the night and that he would sleep in his old hammock that he had stored away. I took the offer since I never could get very comfortable in hammocks. As I lay in bed, everything felt strange. I was in Hyrule again, planning on going to the Twilight Realm. This time I was doing everything alone. Even with people helping me along my way, I felt alone. I rolled over and tried to dismiss the feeling as I fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 3: Warmth in the Cold

Author's Note: I don't own any of the Zelda characters or games, Nintendo does. The characters and story I add are my own. Please read and review.

**TC 3: Legend of the Beast**

**Chapter 3: Warmth in the Cold**

After a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and bread, we set out for Castle Town. Link walked next to Epona of course, while I got to walk next to a mule that had been brought for hauling firewood back to town. Both were laden with as much as they could carry. We made our way through the narrow way that led out of the forest and into Hyrule Field. It took most of the morning, during which we talked more, mostly about the cold weather and what we thought of it.

"Everything is so much harder during the winter," Link said in a grumbling manner.

"True, and much more so here than in my world," I replied. "And I don't like being cold. But on the other hand, I just love cold weather."

"Really?" Link asked with interest. "Why?"

"It's so quiet and peaceful. Everything is at rest as the world turns cold."

Link shook his head. "It's too quiet for me. It seems dead. Like everything alive is hidden."

"Maybe. But there's still life if you know where to find it."

Once we left the forest an hour or so later, we were exposed to the force of the wind that was starting to kick up. We both covered our faces to shield ourselves from the cold. Even though I was wrapped up in a winter coat, scarf around my mouth and neck, stocking hat on my head, gloves on hands, and jeans tucked into my boots, I was still feeling cold.

_Another reason I hate wind_, I thought as we trudged on through the snow, which was just past the ankles in depth. I've hated wind for a number of years now, mostly because of the force it could have or how it made a cold day worse. At least it wasn't snowing today even though the sky was overcast.

The lack of falling snow allowed me to see Hyrule Castle in the distance, or rather a lack thereof. There were no pointing spires or jutting towers anymore. Nothing rose above the surrounding town, at least not that I could see from this distance.

After a couple more hours of moving along, the wind died down and we could talk again. We uncovered our faces and I started by saying, "It's strange, not seeing Hyrule Castle."

Link nodded. "It does take some getting used to. But reconstruction will resume in the spring."

"How is it going?" I asked.

"With the gorons and zora helping, it goes well," Link replied. "It will still be a number of years before it is restored to its former glory, but we will get it there. I was helping before winter set in, and we just barely got a temporary roof on the first floor in time."

I nodded and found myself casting around for the next subject. Small talk was a bit difficult for me at times. "How's Colin? And the other kids?"

Link frowned a little. "They are doing well. They have dealt well with what happened to them. Colin has changed the most though. He wears my- I mean your, old sword and shield. He's determined to keep the village safe when I'm away."

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Well... that's good right?"

The hero sighed. "Yes, but they think that it was me that saved them, and not you. And I do not have the heart to tell them otherwise."

I nodded slowly. "I can understand that. You don't want to hurt them."

He nodded, then shook his head. "It's not the whole truth."

I raised an eyebrow. "Then what is?"

He didn't look at me, instead focusing on his feet as they made prints in the snow. "It should have been me to save them. Don't misunderstand, I'm glad that you saved them, but... How do I say it?"

"You feel like you should have been there," I supplied. "Because you've known them their whole lives and you care for them."

He nodded slowly. "And I could only watch as you saved them in my stead."

I bit my lip for a moment as I felt guilty. It hadn't been my fault that I was the one in the game, but I had never stopped to really think about what Link had thought about the situation. "Was it that hard all the time?" I asked. "Watching me do all these things and being unable to help?"

"I did not watch often," Link replied, "Though there were times that I did wonder what you were doing, and Karin would guess at what was happening if we couldn't look. I'll freely admit that I was jealous. You got to do many things that few get to do."

"And I stole them from you," I said, the guilt pressing heavier in my chest. It was then that I remembered that Karin had said that Link was jealous of me after that first adventure. I had forgotten in the mess of emotions and confusion.

Link shook his head again. "It was not your fault. You did the right thing."

"Still..." I let the sentence drop, not sure what to say.

"I was glad to talk to your sister," Link said to fill the silence. "It distracted me from what I couldn't do. It also made everything new for me, when I began to wander on my own. I also got to learn of your world." He chuckled softly. "It is certainly more learned and better fed, but also very complicated."

I couldn't help but chuckle as well. "That's true."

Link's gaze lifted up to the town in the distance. "I have consoled myself by thinking that whatever force brought you to Hyrule did so for a purpose and that I am able to see and do things on my own, though they pale in comparison to you."

I shook my head. "A hero jealous of me. I never thought I would see the day." After a pause I said, "I wonder why I was brought here in the first place. I mean, I've thought about it before, but I never really came up with an answer."

"Perhaps to prepare your world for Zant's invasion?" Link suggested. "Or maybe to prepare you for something more. You are here again."

I nodded. "Yeah."

We lapsed into silence for a time, only broken by our feet crunching in the snow along with the heavier steps of Epona and the mule, along with their heavier breathing. After passing some trees, we paused to eat some bread and cheese for lunch before moving on. At length, Link asked about my family and I told him how they were coping well after the invasion and smaller things that may not have made sense to him. He told me about taking care of goats, finding more things for Shad to study, and the things he did for Princess Zelda. Though we both knew we were talking about things that the other knew little about, it was something to fill the silence and the time we had before reaching the town.

Though it was hard to tell, it was mid-afternoon by the time we reached the town. Many chimneys were emitting smoke, warming the houses to fend off the cold. As we crossed the bridge and entered the town properly, I noticed that the market booths were closed down.

"Doesn't anyone do business during the winter?" I asked in curiosity.

"Most finish before winter starts," Link explained. "But there is always more personal trading between people for what they need, or the sale of firewood."

"You're selling all this?" I said with a nod to the loads on our animals.

He shook his head. "No. This is for Princess Zelda. It takes a lot to heat her castle, even with its current size. Though it's also a little more crowded than it used to be, since more people are in a smaller space now."

That brought another question to my mind. "Just who all lives in there anyway?"

Link looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, the Princess, her guards, the remaining nobility that didn't flee when Zant invaded. I have a room there for whenever I stay here in town."

"How many people is that?"

That made Link pause. "I don't know. I never asked."

I chuckled as we entered the central square. It was abandoned and the fountain in the center wasn't running. It was almost eerily quiet as we crossed the square and moved onto the bridge over the moat. A glance over the side showed that at least the top of the river had frozen over. The castle gates stood unguarded, which made me raise an eyebrow.

"No guards?" I asked Link.

"No one attacks in winter, not even the hardiest of foes. But there are guards just inside." Link stopped Epona and pounded on the gate.

A small slat at eye level opened up. That hadn't been there before. "Oh, it's you Link," came a gruff voice accompanied by cold-weary eyes. The eyes moved up and looked at me. "Who's your friend?"

"A visitor, come to see Princess Zelda," Link replied.

The eyes looked at me critically for a moment before he said, "Uh huh. Well, come in. Been blowing something fierce out there these days."

The slat closed and there was a groan as the heavy wooden door swung inward. A grizzled looking guard grunted as his slightly shorter partner helped him open the door far enough to allow us and our animals in.

"Thank you Gren. Khol," Link said to the guards as we entered.

"Don't. We just want the firewood," the shorter, and apparently younger, guard said with a chuckle.

Link chuckled as we moved in. I got looks of curiosity from the two guards, who whispered behind us after we passed. I only spared them a quick glance before looking ahead to the courtyard. The snow here had footprints criss-crossing all over. There was scaffolding set up in many places around the castle walls, with ramps to move up heavy stones. Some stones were sitting in the yard, but not many. No one was outside. They were inside to be warm like everyone else.

"It's strange," I said to link as we came up to the main entrance. "I never thought I'd see this place again."

"I'm sure it is. But perhaps you'll have a chance to get used to the sight," Link replied.

Link knocked on the front door, and a boy that couldn't have been much older than thirteen stuck his head out the door. A smile lit up on his face as he opened the door fully to reveal his lean frame and plain clothes. "Oh! Sir Link! Hello!"

Link smiled. "Hello Owen. I've got another shipment of firewood for the princess. You'll take care of Epona for me?"

"Yes sir!" He went and took Epona's reins before noticing me. "Oh. Hello," he said somewhat shyly.

"Hello," I replied, offering the mule's reins to him. "I'm Tyler. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." The boy smiled a little before taking the reins and walking off with them, presumably to the stables or wherever the firewood was stored.

"You seem to know folks around here," I noted as Link led me into the castle.

"People still think of me as the hero," Link said, pausing as he closed the door. "So I feel like I need to know them."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I let the subject drop. As we walked into the castle, a whistling caught my ears, and I looked up to see that a wooden roof had been put into place about thirty feet up. I then looked down to see that the stone floor had also had patches of a sort in it, filled in with gravel and mortar here and there. There were also scrape marks where things had been dragged across the floor, and more scaffolding against the walls.

"It took weeks just to clear out the rubble from the collapsed upper floors," Link explained. "Even with the gorons helping. It's all outside now, being reworked into something useable."

I had to admit that it felt wrong somehow to see the castle in such a state. And while I didn't cause it directly, I still felt somewhat responsible for it. Especially when I finally noticed the people that were scattered about the hall, huddled around small fires. "Not a lot of living space down here?" I asked.

Link shook his head. "No. It was all the upper floors. This castle was built to impress people, more than as a place to live. I think Zelda is planning on changing that."

I bit my lip as we walked past the people, many of whom raised a hand in greeting to Link. He would reply in kind as he led me to a doorway on the right side. We passed through a hallway and came to a room that had two guards standing outside it. They both gave me looks before one spoke up. "Sir Link, what brings you here today?"

"I have a visitor for the princess. Is she available?" he asked.

This got another searching look from the guard. "Fortunately for you, she has just concluded some business with the zora. Just a moment." He knocked on the door before opening it and stepping inside. After a couple exchanged words, he came back out. "You may enter."

Link nodded and entered, and I followed on his heels. We entered what looked like an office of sorts. There was a lit fireplace in one wall, and the other walls were lined with bookshelves containing various tomes and scrolls. There were a few chairs, and a writing desk against one wall with a lantern on it. It was in front of this desk that Princess Zelda sat, though turned away from whatever she had been writing. "It is good to see you again Link." She smiled at Link as she stood, but then raised a curious eyebrow at me. It was then that I remembered that my face was hidden by my winter clothes. I unwrapped the scarf and took off my hat, and Zelda's eyes widened as she gasped softly. "Tyler!"

I bowed at the waist and smiled back. "Hello your majesty. It's been a while."

Zelda's surprise gave way to a smile again, this one a little wider than the last. "Indeed it has. And I will admit that I wasn't sure that I would see you again."

"Fate seems to like keeping me on my toes," I replied.

"Come, sit. I wish to hear about your travels. We were not able to hear the entire story of Zant's invasion on your world."

As socially awkward as I may be at times, when someone invites me to talk about something, I tend to go on for a while. So I was all too happy to sit and fill in Link and Zelda on the details that they were unable to get about the invasion. "I'm impressed," Zelda said at length. "You are certainly living up to your role as Chosen One of the Goddesses."

That made me bite my lip bashfully. "Thank you."

Zelda's brow furrowed. "But why are you here now?"

That began the next explanation, as well as showing her the mark of the Triforce on my hand. Zelda's confusion deepened. "But... But I don't understand." She removed the long white glove on her left hand. Her skin was pale and flawless, but also seemed to have an inner strength. There was also no Triforce. "When Zant invaded Hyrule, the mark appeared on my hand, and I soon after had the wisdom to surrender and spare many lives. Even when Zant invaded your world, the mark appeared on my hand, and I had the wisdom to listen to a Zora messenger that said you needed help."

"And I even got the mark when I summoned the courage to go with her and protect her," Link chimed in.

"But now neither of us has the Triforce now. Why is it that only you have it?"

I bit my lip and thought for a moment. "I don't know. All I know is that it means I'm needed. Is there anything going on in Hyrule?"

Zelda shook her head. "Nothing beyond the normal politics and making sure no one freezes during the winter."

"So then the Twilight Realm must need me," I concluded.

Zelda looked thoughtful as she put her glove back on, muttering a little. "...not the place... person."

"What was that?" Link asked.

Zelda shook her head. "Just a thought." She then refocused on me. "So, you're planning on going to the Twilight Realm?"

I nodded. "Yes. And you're the only person with magic strong enough to open the way."

The princess cocked an eyebrow. "You do know that Lake Hylia is frozen?"

My face fell. "What? But water flows through it, so I didn't think it would freeze that much."

"The river still feeds the lake, but the surface of the lake has a layer of ice several inches thick," Zelda explained.

I smirked at that and pulled the goron mask out of my bag. "That doesn't worry me. A few punches and my sheer weight will take care of that."

"And how do you plan to return home?"

That made me pause. "I... I don't know."

"You may not be able to return for a long time, if at all. Are you really sure that you want to go?" Zelda gave me a searching look.

I nodded. "Yes. I need to know what's going on. I need to know why this mark is on my hand."

Zelda sighed. "And I suppose there is no stopping you. However, I can't go with you, so I will have to find a way to put the magic into a vessel. Something you can break to release the magic."

I tilted my head. "You can do that?"

She nodded. "It was a means of passing spells on in the past, though this will only have one use so that it cannot be abused."

I nodded. "Great. Thank you."

"It is nothing compared to what you did for Hyrule," she replied formally.

"That reminds me," I said as I waggled a finger. "I never did get to thank you two for saving my life. Zant had me on ropes before you two showed up."

Link tilted his head. "What ropes? I don't remember any during the fight."

"It's an expression," I explained.

"Oh."

"Well, we were glad to help," Zelda said. "And Zant would have surely come to Hyrule had he succeed in conquering your world or the Twilight Realm."

"I will admit, I have more respect for you after that," Link added. "You made slaying monsters look easy."

"Really?" I asked with a smile. "I guess I was doing something right then."

A knock came at the door before one of the guards poked his head in. "Your majesty, dinner will be ready shortly."

"Thank you for letting me know," Princess Zelda replied. She then looked at me again. "You're welcome to join me for dinner. I'll arrange a room for you to stay the night."

I smiled and nodded. "Thank you." Then I remembered the people in the main hall. "I'm not sure how I feel about having a bed with the people in the hall."

Zelda smiled and shook her head. "No, no, they don't live in that drafty hall. It's where the officials hold their meetings since they still don't think it's proper to hold them in their rooms. And they also share their rooms with others that need a place to sleep, so they actually get more privacy in the main hall."

I let out a breath as I relaxed. "That makes me feel better."

Link smiled a bit sheepishly. "Sorry, I forgot how that might look to outsiders."

"It's okay," I reassured him.

"Well, dinner won't be the greatest of feasts," she said as she stood, "I refuse to eat lavishly at the expense of my subjects- but we don't go hungry."

I stood as well. "I'm honored."

"You know people will talk having a stranger at your table," Link said with a neutral face as he got up.

"I know they will," Zelda replied as she moved towards the door, picking up a thick shawl from a stand next to the door and wrapping it around her shoulders. "But I have never let rumors stop me from doing what I think I should."

I sighed. "Politics. I could never bring myself to get involved in them."

Zelda shrugged. "It is the life I lead. I make the best of it."

She led us down the hall back the way we came, guards framing us at the back and the front of our little line. We went through the main hall again and through another hallway to a dining hall. It had a table that could easily have seated fourteen people or more. "It's nothing like our old feasting hall, but I've come to like it," Zelda said with a small smile. "It's more intimate this way."

"Feels big to me," I replied. "I'm used to just eating either with my family or by myself."

"Well, we eat with everyone that cares to join us, so that the kitchens don't have to be working all the time," Zelda explained.

That explained the others in the room with us, who took up most of the other seats at the table. We were escorted to the head of the table, and I felt a moment of awkwardness as I wondered where I would sit. Zelda sat in a nicer chair that had probably been salvaged from somewhere else in the castle. Link sat in the chair to her right. Seeing an empty chair to her left, I sat in it. Instantly I heard whispers from the others at the table. They were probably wondering who this strangely dressed person was who sat next to the Princess. I hadn't felt so self-conscious for a long time. This only increased as other Hylians came into the hall, filling up the rest of the seats and quickly joining in the gossip.

Luckily for me, the food showed up to distract us. I was curious to see how royalty in Hyrule ate, even if it was less fancy than normal. First came warm bread and goat cheese as an appetizer. I've never had goat cheese before, and while it wasn't quite to my taste, it wasn't bad either. Next was a hot soup, potato. I enjoy potato soup, but this had some kind of spice or herb in it that made it just fantastic. The next course was the entree, a ham that smelled marvelous and tasted sweet as it practically melted in my mouth. And then came dessert, which was... Well, it had a small bit of pastry, some cream, some cinnamon, some nuts, and a sauce which I think had some kind of alcohol in it before getting cooked out.

I hadn't eaten so well in a long time, and relaxed back into my seat with a sigh. "If that wasn't lavish, I'd love to see what something fancy would be."

Zelda smiled a little. "Well, in better times, there would be at least two more courses. And there would be more food for each." Her expression then turned more thoughtful. "We were also more wasteful. Now, nothing goes to waste. I hope to keep it that way."

"You've done well in rebuilding Zelda," Link said with a smile. "You keep selling yourself short."

Zelda smiled back. "Thank you Link. Your kindness is always appreciated."

There seemed to be something unsaid between the two of them, something that made me smile.

Link stretched a little. "I think it's time to get some rest."

"Yes, I believe so." Zelda stood, and everyone around the table stood as well. "Thank you for joining me this evening." Everyone made small bows and said their thanks before she turned back to me. "Link can show you to your room. There's a guest room next to his."

"Thank you Princess." I bowed again before she left the room.

Link led me down another hall to a few bedrooms next to each other. "Zelda actually sleeps at the end of the hall. She likes to keep me nearby for protection."

I smirked. "I don't think that's the only reason why."

Link looked at me in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on. You're telling me there's nothing going on between you two?"

I never thought I'd see the day that Link would blush. "I.. Well... It wouldn't be proper."

I folded my arms. "Link, you two are more than friends. I can tell by the way you look at each other."

He shook his head. "But we're just friends. I couldn't... I mean, she's a princess."

"Is there a law that says she can't marry a commoner?" I asked. You never can tell with these medieval societies.

"Well, not that I know of. It's tradition, but I don't think there's a law."

I mellowed out a little. "You two obviously like each other. Don't count yourself out before anything can happen."

Link looked down at his feet for a moment. "You... may have a point. I have some things to think about."

I smiled again, more kindly this time. "Don't think too hard. Good night Link."

"Good night."

I entered the room, which was rather simple; a chest of drawers, a bed, and a desk and a chair. There was a window that was currently closed by shutters. Very little light seeped through so it must have been dark already. I sighed as I set down my back pack and started stripping down for the night. It seemed that things were going much slower than I hoped that they would, but then again, this was my first proper adventure. After all, a proper adventure is a lot of boring traveling dotted with exciting events. At least, that was how it worked in fantasy novels. But then again, my life wasn't the typical fantasy novel.

I lay in the bed, finding it nicer than Link's, but I still felt just as confused. Why was only I needed? Maybe it wasn't a big problem. Ah. I worry too much. I rolled over and pulled the covers tighter. At least tomorrow I'd be on my way.


	5. Chapter 4: A New Old Companion

Author's Note: I don't own any of the Zelda characters or games, Nintendo does. The characters and story I add are my own. Please read and review.

**TC 3: Legend of the Beast**

**Chapter 4: A New Old Companion**

"Are you sure you won't stay?" Zelda entreated me at breakfast. "The weather outside might improve by tomorrow."

I shook my head. "No. I have to go."

"But the wind and snow have gotten worse. You'll freeze out there," Link objected.

I shook my head again. "I have to go. I'm needed somewhere."

My uncertainty about my purpose was gone after the previous night. I had woken up with the mark of the Triforce glowing and warm on my hand. It had faded after a minute or two and I still didn't know what it meant, but it was enough to invigorate me.

Zelda set down her fork. "I don't think I can let you go in good conscience. Discretion is the better part of valor."

I sighed and stared down at my plate of ham, eggs, and bread. I was starting to see a trend in the food they ate. I could also see the logic of their words. I was barely warm enough in my clothes, and the zora and goron forms were ill suited for cold weather.

"How long do you think the storm is going to last?" I asked before taking a bite of bread.

"Judging from how much we got the past few days, I don't think it will last much longer." Link replied. "It will likely be clear in a few days."

I swallowed my bite. "I can't wait that long. I have to go."

Zelda sighed and half muttered to herself, "Just when I thought you would be reasonable."

"My Triforce is courage, not wisdom," I replied with a smile.

"There isn't a way down to the lake," Link put in. "The only way up and down safely were the amusement games, and they're closed for the winter."

"I can jump off the bridge," I countered. "I've survived the fall before. My goron form can take the impact."

"You were barely lucky enough to survive when you were jumping into water," Link protested. "That kind of jump is suicide!"

I leveled the most determined look I could at him. "There's no other way to the Twilight Realm, and I will get there." I turned to look at Zelda. "Did you make the spell?"

The ruler took in a long breath and let it out slowly. She then reached into a pocket of her cloak and set a small glass jar on the table. "It goes against my better judgment, but here."

"You can't be serious," Link said in disbelief.

"Wisdom comes in many forms. Sometimes it comes in a form not understood until much later." I noticed that she was rubbing back of her left hand with her thumb. "We must have faith in our choices."

I picked up the jar and looked at the swirled of dark blue and black magic within. It reminded of looking at a night sky. I put it in a pocket and nodded. "Thank you Princess."

She shook her head gently. "Just go before I change my mind. I do not wish to see such a brave and good person hurt."

I nodded and finished eating in a hurry. I stood and Link stood as well. "I'll see you to the castle gates."

"Did you think about what I said last night?" I asked as we walked through the castle halls.

Link didn't reply for a minute or two. "I... have. I am not sure if what I feel for her maj- for Zelda," he corrected himself, "is love, but I would like to court her and find out."

I smiled. "Good."

"I'm not sure where to begin though."

"You know her likes, her dislikes?" I replied. "If no, ask. If you do, start with a simple gift. Little things. Little services. Whatever makes her smile." I then scoffed softly. "Then again, I haven't been in a romantic relationship before, so take my advice with a grain of salt."

Link looked at me in surprise as we came to the front door. "Aren't you and Midna...?"

"Hardly a normal relationship."

I pulled the door open and the cold hit like a slap to the face. We trudged through the new-fallen snow that was building up in the storm. I wrapped myself up in my scarf and adjusted the bag Link had given me, reassuring myself that it was there. He had helped me stuff the rest of my pack into it so that it wouldn't get wet in the lake. It was now on my back, and had some heft to it, but not as much as the combined total of all that was in there. When we came to the gate, a guard poked his head out of a small hut, but Link waved him off. We both heaved the gate open enough for me to slip through.

I uncovered my face for a moment, shouting over the wind. "I'll send word if I don't return in a few weeks! Send it on to my family! You know the way!"

Link nodded and shouted back. "Take care!"

I nodded and slipped through the gate. It closed with a heavy 'thud' behind me. I couldn't see well, but I could still make out the shapes of the buildings of town. It would be enough. I put on the goron mask and grunted as I changed shape. I had forgotten just how bad the nausea was before it faded. After a few steps to start up, I rolled and was on my way. I had forgotten about the doors at the entrances of town, and I had to pause to open and close them before moving on. I rolled out into the field and towards the massive bridge that spanned the lake. Turning was harder on the snow, and I almost tipped over, but somehow I managed to stay upright. It only took about a half hour or so before I was on the bridge, well above the lake. I shivered a little as I uncurled, the winter winds piercing through the rock-thick skin. The rest of the gorons were probably sitting in a warm hot spring or in their caves.

"Don't think about that now," I told myself. With a grunt, I heaved myself up onto the side of the bridge and steadied myself as I looked down. _Oh boy. I forgot how much of a problem I have falling from heights,_ I thought. I couldn't even see the lake below, or could tell it apart from the blizzard. I took a breath to steady myself. I could do this. I chuckled as I remembered how Midna teased be about my problem before.

_Okay, no more putting it off. In the words of a certain time traveler..._ I jumped off the edge. "GERONIMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

I curled up as my scream was swallowed by the wind, which ran through me harder and harder as I quickly reached terminal velocity. The motion of curling added a slow rotation to my fall. I had no idea when I was going to hit or on what part of my body, and I didn't want to know. I could only count the seconds until I reached the lake. What was taking so long? Couldn't I just hit al-

CRUNCH!

_Oh, I hope that wasn't me._

After the shock of hitting wore off, I uncurled and stood up, taking my time as I felt my head spin. I wasn't hurting, just shaken up from the impact. The crunch that I had heard had been the ice cracking and folding beneath my body. I hadn't broken all the way through, but I had made a sizable crater and water was filling in from the cracks. Stepping carefully, I got out of the crater and stood next to it, glad for the snow that made it easier to stand on the ice.

"It's times like these I wish I've ice skated," I muttered to myself as I tried to make my stance stable. I punched down, cracking more ice and feeling it shift. It took about a half dozen punches and some lifting before I had the hole clear of ice. I took off the mask, took a minute to be warm and catch my breath before putting on the zora mask. I shivered at the cold before diving into the water. The water was still very cold, but not as bad as I had feared. The water was crystal clear, but dark since the snow above blocked out what little light there was. I swallowed a little fear of being underwater in the dark before starting to swim deeper into the lake. There were no zoras around, but I had expected that. I almost bumped into the temple before I saw it. I had to feel my way around before I found the entrance. I slipped inside and pulled myself into the antechamber of the temple, blinking as I found that some kind of dim light filled the room, provided by magical orbs.

"Light. Yay." I sighed and took a breath in and let it out. At least it felt the same here, even if the air was a little chilly. Like last time, there were no switches, and the doors opened like regular doors. A few rooms later, I was in the deepest chamber, where it was also lit with light orbs. The zoras had added them since the last time I was here. I swam down to the bottom, expected to see... something. Instead there was nothing. No visible distortions, no ripples in space or time, no marks on the floor or wall, nothing. As I got to the bottom and near where the wall had been repaired, I still didn't see anything.

_Great. How am I supposed to tell where to use the spell?_ I fished my hand in the bag, careful to not let any water in as I pulled out the jar with the spell in it. It seemed whatever made the bag waterproof also kept water out. I looked at the swirling magic before looking around the area again. With no other clues, I dropped down until my feet touched bottom and walked over to where the Fused Shadow had appeared.

I stiffened as I felt a chill run up my spine. Odd. Where had that come from? I stepped away, then toward the spot again. The shiver came again. Well, that was probably the best clue I was going to get. I pulled the stopper out of the jar of magic.

Try as I might, I can't clearly recall what happened over the next few moments. The last time, it had been akin to traveling via shadows with Midna. This time, there was no feeling of travel, just a violent yank as I was displaced. I felt sick as colors swam before my eyes. I could still feel water around me, and the distasteful thought of throwing up into it helped me keep my cookies down. While I could breathe with zora gills, it just wasn't the same as a refreshing, cleansing breath through the nose and lungs. The problem was now finding up, for I was in darkness again.

I started feeling around me, swimming slowly. My fingers encountered dirt, a slope upwards. I followed it up until I bumped my head on a layer of ice. After cursing for a moment, I pulled out the bomb bag and pulled a bomb out. Instead of a fuse, there was some kind of metal knob on top. After a bit of fiddling, it twisted and slowly started to move back to its original position. I hurried jammed it between the dirt and the ice before trying to swim backwards. Fortunately, the blast wasn't as large underwater as it was above, and it made a hole in the ice big enough for me to get out.

I climbed up onto the shore and took a breath normally, then promptly shivered as the cold air brushed the water on my zora skin. I pulled the mask off and thankfully I was dry in my winter clothes. With everything back in the bag I took a look around me. I was back at the pond at which I had entered the Twilight Realm last time, near the canyon in which Zant once had a base. It was apparently winter here too, with snow covering the ground. Thankfully, it was a much thinner layer than back in Hyrule, and the wind was a gentle breeze. It also wasn't snowing. Still, I would feel warmer and more at ease with the pack on my back, so I set about pulling it out. I'd need the food in it soon enough anyway.

As I did so, the Gale Boomerang slipped out and landed on the snow. I jumped a little as it sprang up, spinning a little on a wind it created to hover. "Wow, that's cold!"

I took a breath to calm myself. "I forgot you could move on your own."

"I can still use my powers for myself. And I wouldn't want to burden you by making me carry you all the time," it replied.

I already found myself thinking of it as a 'she' since its voice was obviously a girl's. I started to put my pack on. "You know, it's been nagging me since I agreed to bring you along. Why did you want to come with me?"

There was a pause before she replied. "I was lonely. Even if I was silent before, I liked traveling around."

"And why are you talking to me?" I asked, pack now in place.

Another pause. "Because I was lonelier than I thought. I haven't talked- really talked- to someone in a long time."

There was a story there, I could tell. "Let me get my bearings and then you can tell me about it."

"Which direction are you trying to go?"

I scanned the sky, trying to find a sun to steer by. "Well, assuming that the Twilight Palace is in the same location as the desert relative to the lake, then I need to head east and a bit north." I sighed as I stopped looking up to rest my neck. "Except I can't see a sun. It's just all a light orange-gold."

The hovering boomerang moved in a small circle before the fairy inside spoke. "That would be... this way." It drifted towards a direction.

"How can you tell?" I asked in confusion.

"The different winds feel different to me. I can tell which way they come from and which way they're going."

I chuckled. "Nice. I think I'm going to like having you around."

She giggled in her airy way. "Thanks."

"So are you a boy or a girl?" I started walking towards the boomerang, which led the way.

"I'm a girl of course." She replied almost indignantly before giggling again. "I may not have a body, but I have a voice."

"Do you have a name?"

There was a moment of silence, which is to say she was just softly whirling with her wind around her. When she spoke again, she sounded sad. "No... I don't think so."

That made me raise an eyebrow. "You're not sure?"

"It has been many years since anyone has talked to me."

"So what's your story then?" I asked, hands on the straps of my pack. "How did you end up in the boomerang?"

"I cannot remember all the details, for it was a long time ago."

"Like how long?"

"Very long. Centuries perhaps. It all became a blur after the first dozen years or so." She sighed. "What I do remember is that I was a troublesome spirit. I spent my days as a faerie using the winds to play pranks on anyone I came across. Then I went and got a wizard upset. He put me in the boomerang, saying that I would serve others as punishment. He used my powers a little, defined them. But before long, he put me in the temple, saying that he was old and couldn't find someone to tame me. So I waited. Nothing happened for a long time, and I usually just slept a lot. Then the monkeys started acting strange, then you showed up. All I knew was that I wanted out of the temple, so I was glad to serve whoever would have need of me."

I'll admit, I felt sorry for her. "I guess all that sleep was why you didn't go crazy."

Her tone was somewhat resigned. "That, and letting go of everything that happened before. It didn't matter anyway."

"Didn't it?" It seemed to me that there should have been something, someone she cared for or cared for her.

"No. In between my long naps, I did some soul searching. I don't know how I came to be. I just that I went with the wind and did as I pleased without purpose. But even the wind has purpose. It shapes the land, it carries seeds, aides the birds on their way. It brings the clouds that carry rain and snow, and then passes them on. All I did was play tricks on people. The wizard was wise in his punishment; I needed purpose."

I bit my lip for a moment. "And then we found you, used your powers for a while, then forgot about you."

"I was used to being put away somewhere, so I didn't mind at first. But then I realized that some part of me still desperately needed open air. Still needed to feel and move on the wind. And..." She paused for a moment before repeating, "I was lonely."

"Did you have anybody before you were locked away?" I asked. "Any family or friends?"

"No. I remember that much. No siblings, no others like me. Just the winds."

"That does sound rather lonely." Yet another moment of silence. "Well, I need to call you something. Something wind related. Let's see... Gale?"

She giggled. "I'm not that strong."

"Breeze then?"

Another giggle. "What sort of a name is that?"

"Well there are only so many words related to wind that I can use," I replied. "And I can't think of many right now. Zephyr?"

"Zephyr. A gentle wind with the potential to aid others. I like it."

I smiled. "Okay, Zephyr it is. Zephie for short."

"You humans have to make everything short and cute, don't you?" she asked with a note of amusement.

I chuckled. "Well you sound cute, so I think you need a cute name."

The boomerang paused in its forward movement. "Oh really? I sound cute?"

I shrugged. "You do to me."

She giggled again. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now let's how far we can get before night, or what passes for it, sets in."

"Yes sir!" With a kind of cheeky wobble, Zephyr started on again.

Even though my time alone had been short, I already knew that having someone traveling with me was much better. Especially when I was headed off into the unknown. I took a breath to strengthen myself against the winter cold as we made our way across the plains of the Twilight Realm, neither of us really knowing what we'd find along the way.


End file.
